AIKEN - Adding to the growing list of horse-racing contests in the region, several area riders launched the six-week Sand Hills Combined Training Circuit this season with events in Aiken and at farms in Georgia and North Carolina.
Kate Moga of Charlottesville, Va., uses the warmup area of Paridise Farm in preparation for a Sand Hills Circuit race in February.
CHRIS THELEN/STAFF
The circuit was designed to catch many of the top competitors as they travel between the winter and summer circuits in Florida and the Northeast.
After five straight weekends of competition, the circuit ends this weekend with contests at the prestigious Southern Pines (N.C.) Horse Trials. The event is held today through Sunday.
Local rider and trainer Lellie Ward hosted the circuit's third event, the Paradise Farm Horse Trials and Combined Tests, held the weekend of Feb. 24 on her farm east of Aiken.
``We want to bring this area to an international standard over the next few years, and this new circuit is the perfect vehicle to attract many of the country's top talent,'' said Ms. Ward, an international-level rider.
Ms. Ward said the circuit is needed because of the crowded events in Florida. Recently, Ms. Ward visited Florida, where one event had 400 horses participating.
``When you run 400 horses at one venue, it tends to tear up the ground, which makes it difficult,'' she said. ``So we are trying to attract the snow bird ... and to create another area of top-quality competition so the events aren't being so overpopulated. That's the purpose of the Sand Hill Circuit.''
And riders love the idea.
Kate Moga of Charlottesville, Va., traveled to Aiken on Feb. 23 for the competition at Paradise Farm.
``When I look to where I am going to take the horses, I go by dates, level and where it is. And the only events for them that weren't 10 hours or 14 hours away were around here in February,'' Ms. Moga said in an interview Feb. 24.
``This is a great midway point instead of going all the way to Florida or Georgia. Plus, Aiken's a really nice town, and it's nice to come down here and bring the horses. I'll definitely come back next year.''
Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina make up Area 3 of Combined Training, the fastest-growing area of the sport in the nation, according to Ms. Ward.
The new circuit began with Sporting Days in Aiken Feb. 10-11. It continued each weekend with events at Pine Top Farm in Thomson, Paradise Farm in Aiken and Aiken's Jumping Branch Farm, owned by Julie Zappapas.
Pine Top Farm was the site for several international 3-Day Eventing teams as they conditioned their horses for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Paradise Farms is owned by Ms. Ward and includes a challenging eventing course on rolling land east of Aiken. On Feb. 24 and 25, competition there featured some of the country's top riders, including three Olympic riders and a world champion.
Ms. Ward competed at the highest 4-Star Event level in Europe for several years and later returned to her childhood home of Aiken to build the challenging course at Paradise Farm.
``I wanted to bring that experience to the design of this course, making it along the lines of the great courses I rode in England and the continent,'' she said.
Ms. Ward said she was happy with the quality of competition in the Sand Hills Circuit.
``We turned away over 50 horses in our first event,'' she said. ``I was just delighted with the caliber of horses that are coming to the competition. It far exceeded any of my wildest hopes.''
But she said many of the events would not be possible without the support of individuals and businesses in the Aiken and Augusta area, such as car dealerships and hotels that provided sponsorships.
To return something to the community, proceeds from concession sales benefit Helping Hands of Aiken, a shelter for abused children.
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